Method of molding.



PATBNTED DEC. 26, 1905.

A. M. HEWLETT.

METHOD OP MOLDING.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.16. 1904.

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METHOD 0F MOLDING.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.16, 1904.

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PATENTED DEC. 26,. 1905.

A. M. HEWLETT.

METHOD 0F MOLDING. APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 1e. 1904.

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PATENTED DEC. 26,1905. A. M. HEWLETT.

METHOD 0F MOLDING.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16. 1904.

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ALFRED M. HEWLETT, OF KEWANEE, ILLINOIS.

METHOD OF NIOLDING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1905.

Application filed .Tanuary16,1904. Serial No. 189,390.

To all whom, if may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED M. HEWLETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kewanee, in the county of Henry and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Method of Molding, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to the molding of sand or analogous material, either for the formation of cores or in making molds, and it should be understood that the term mold, as hereinafter employed, is intended to include not only a box for making cores, but also a fiask for making molds in which to make castings, and also that the term molding, as hereinafter employed, is used in a like generic sense.

Heretofore various attempts have been made to make sand-molds by the use of compressed air or equivalent gas; but, so far as I am aware, none of such efforts have been successful from a practical standpoint. According to one of such prior processes the molds have been first filled with sand and afterward subjected to the action of compressed air for the purpose of packing the sand in the mold. Again, it has been proposed to sift or shower the sand into the mold through an air tight compartment into which compressed air is admitted, the idea being that the air would pack the sand in the mold. A still further method proposed was to employ compressed air to drive a follower placed upon a mass of sand for the purpose of driv-` ing the sand into the mold, in such case the compressed air being employed as a substitute for a piston. As above suggested, however, none of the processes above outlined have been successful, and, so far as I am aware, prior to my present invention compressed air or equivalent gas has never been successfully employed for molding sand or equivalent substance. I have discovered, however, that if compressed air be applied directly to sand supported in mass adjacent to the mold in such manner that the expansive force of the compressed air may serve to carry the sand into and distribute it throughout the mold it may be employed with the greatest success for molding sand and analogous substances, and this constitutes the generic feature of my present invention.

In carrying out my present invention the sand is supported in mass in a suitable chamber adapted to contain compressed air, and

the mold to be filled is brought into communication with said chamber7 s datthesand under the action of the compressed air is free to pass from the compression-chamber into and throughout the mold. The connection between the mold and the compression-chamber is made practically air-tight; but the mold itselfris supported in such manie'as to permitiof the escape of the air after it hasY done its..work. Compressed air is then admitted to the compression-chamber above the sand, which it instantly penetrates, the

sand nearest the mold being carried by the expansive force cf the compressed air into and throughoutthe mold, which is at once filled with a homogeneously-packed mass of sand. I/Vhat may be termed the exhaustair-that is to say, the air that passes into the mold-escapes therethrough and leaves the sand packed therein. The compressionchamber is then exhausted in any convenient way, so that the sand remaining therein is relieved from pressure, when the mold may be separated from the compression-chamber and replaced by a fresh one.

In the joint applications of Maddra J. 1 I

Serial No. 177,353, filed,

Hewlett and myself, October 16, 1903, and SerialNo. 180,498,filed November 9, 1903, are fully described molding-machines designed to carry out my im- A proved process; drawings I have illustrated a simpler form of machine constructed along the same lines as that of thfeapplication Serial No. 177,353, above mentioned, which will suffice for a clear understanding of the method herein claimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rotary molding apparatus designed to carry out my said invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof. Fig. 3 is an end view. 'Fig 4 is a sectional view of the valve for controlling the admission and escape of compressed air to the compressionchamber. Fig. 5 is a view of the upper portion of the compression-chamber. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the connections by which compressed air is supplied to the compression-chamber; and Figs. 7 and 8 are side and plan views, respectively, of automatic mechanism for exhausting the compressed air from the compression-chamber and supplying it thereto.

In the accompanying drawings, 9 indicates the base-plate of the machine, and 10 the top plate thereof. T he base-plate is preferably circular in form and the top plate ellipbut in the accompanyingv IOC ' Sion-chambers 17 18, providing one or more,

tical but they may be made of any suitable -shape Said plates are rigidly secured together by standards 11 12, ably tubular.

13 indicates a shaft centrally disposed which. is supported at its lower end in a bearing-block 14, secured to the base-plate 9, its upper end being secured in the top plate 10, as shown.

15 indicates a boss which forms a bearing for the Aupper end of the shaft 13.

16 indicates a disk or supporting-plate mounted on the shaft 13, near the upper end thereof, and carrying one or more compression-chambers 17 18, which depend therefrom, as shown in Fig. 1. The construction of said compression-chambers is best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, from which it will be seen that they are slightly tapered, being larger at the bottom than at the top, their lower portions being elliptical in cross-section.

19 indicates perforated plates which p artly close the lower ends of the compreswhich are prefercontracted passages through which compressed air charged with sand is admitted to the mold.

20 indicates a cup which is carried at the lower end of a rod 21, fitted in the top plate 10, and is adapted to iit upon the upper ends of the compression-chambers 17 18 when they are in proper position to receive it.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 6, at its lower end the cup 20 is provided with an annular flange 22, which is adapted to fit upon a gasket 23, of rubber or other suitable material, to form an air-tight connection between said cup and the compression chamber. The rod 21 is vertically movable to raise and lower the cup 20, thereby moving it into and out of operative position.

24 indicates an air-passage in the cup 20 which extends from the lower surface of the cup to an air-pipe (Shown in Fig. 6.) Said air-pipe communicates with a valve 26, by which the admission and exhaustion of air from the compression-chamber is controlled. Said valve consists of a valve-chann ber 27, which contains a slide-valve 28, and is provided with passages 29 30. The passages 29 30 lie adjacent to each other and are normally cut off from the valve-chamber 27 and placed in communication with each other by the slide-valve 28, which, as shown in Fig. 4, overlies the inner ends of said passages and is provided with a concavity 31, which affords communication between them. By moving said slide-valve longitudinally in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4 it moves from over. the passage 29, thereby opening communication between said passage and the valve-chamber 27, the passage 30, however, being still cut off from said valve-chamber. The passage 30 communicates with an exhaust-pipe 32, while the valve chamber receives compressed air through a supply-pipe 33, as shown m Fig.

. 4. By the construction described when the slide-valve 28 is in the position shown in Fig. 4 the pipe 25 is connected with the eX- haust-pipe 32 through passage 29, concavity 31, and passage 30. When, however, the slide-valve 28 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4, the passage 29 is connected with the valve-chamber 27 and receives compressed air therefrom, thereby admitting compressed air to the compres sion-chamber 18.

The slide-valve 28 is automatically operated to control the admission of compressed air to the compression-chamber and its eX- haustion therethrough by means of a lever 34, pivoted upon a standard 3,5, supported on the top plate 10, as shown in Fig. 1. At its outer end the lever 34 is provided with a linger 36, which isadapted to be engaged by the projecting portion 37 of a cam 38, mounted on a shaft 39, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 7, the arrangement being such that as said cam rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 7 it depresses the outer end of the lever 34, thereby throwing the inner end of said lever upward. As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the inner end of said lever is connected by a connecting-rod 40 with the slide-valve 28. lt follows that when the cam 38 acts upon the lever 34 the slide-valve 28 is moved into position to supply'air to the cup 20 and through it to the compression-cylinder. The lever 34 is restored to its normal position when the projecting portion 37 passes the iinger 36 by a spring 41, connected to the inner end of said lever and to the top plate 10, as shown in Fig. 1. l

The cup 20 is operated to connect the compression-chambers in turn with the comk pressed-air supply by means of an eccentric 42, mounted on the shaft 39, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Said eccentric is connected by an eccentric-strap 43 and arm '44 with a lever 45, the middle portion of which is connected by a pivot 46 with a head 47 at the upper end of a rod 48, which extends down at one side of the machine, having a suitable bearing in the top plate 10 and in a bracket 49, supported by the standard 1], as shown in Fig. 2. At its lower end the rod 48 carries a bracket 50, in which is adjustably secured a pin 51. The pin 51 is vertically disposed in such position as to register with a boss 52, which projects downwardly from a moldsupporting plate 53, carried by a turn-table 54, mounted on the shaft 13 near the lower end thereof, as shown in Fig. 2. A moldsupporting plate 53 is provided for each compression-chamber, and they are so mounted on the turn-table 54 as to support their respective molds immediately under the plates 19, as shown in Fig. 2.

55 indicates the molds, carried by the sup- IOO TIO

IZS

portngTates 53, and 56 57 stops which conofcourse be intermittently rotated in anT trol Jhegositionofthemolds on the mold-supsuitable manner. When any compressionportlg' plates 53. chamber arrives under the air-cup 20, the ec- Tke turn-table 54 is so mounted upon the centric 42 is operated to rock the lever 45,

Shaft 13 as to be vertically adjustable, its Vthereby depressing the cup 20 into engage- 7o height being adjusted relatively to the length ment with the upper end of the compressionofthe molds, so that when the mold-supportchamber and raising the mold into engageing plates 53 rest upon the turn-table the upment with the plate 19. The air-valve is er ends or the molds are a short distance rethen operated to admit compressed air to the 1o moved from the lower surface of the plates compression-chamber above the mass of sand 75 19. When, however, the plates 53 are raised, therein. Immediately upon its admission f as will be hereinafter described, the molds are into the compression-chamber the air perbrought into close contact with the plates 19, meates the mass of sand and by its expansive so that sand from the compression-chambers force carries the sand at the bottom of the may readily pass into the molds under the mass into and throughout the mold, packing 8o action of the compressed air. The plates 53 it therein and ultimately escaping through are raised when they lie over the pins 51 by the cracks or apertures provided for that purthe action of the eccentric 42, which rocks pose. The valve is immediately afterward the lever 45 and raises and lowers the rod 48 operated to exhaust the compressed air from zo with the pin 51. lVhen the pin 51 is raised, it the compression-chamber, after which the 8 5 engages the boss 52 and raises the plate 53 to cup 2O is raised and the pin 51 lowered, percarry the mold 55 into contact with the plate mitting the mold to descend out of engagel 19, as above described. The air-cup 2O is ment with the compression-chamber,when it depressed at the same time that the plate 53 may be removed, a fresh one being put in its is raised by means of the rod 21, which is conplace. 9o nected to the inner end of the lever by a The foregoing description of the apparatus pivot 53,as shown inlfig.2,and consequently illustrated will suffice to convey a clear undescends when the rod 4S rises. By this derstanding of my improved method, and it means an air-tight closure of the upper end will be understood that while such apparatus 3o of the compression-chamber is effected at the may be satisfactorily employed to carry out 95 same time that the mold is brought into opsaid method many features may be added erative relation to the lower end thereof, so thereto for the purpose of making the operathat when compressed air is admitted to the tion automatic, as illustrated in the machine compression-chamber in the manner hereindescribed in myformer application, SerialNo. 55 before described sand from the compression- 177,353. Various other forms of apparatus roo chamber is carried into and throughout the may also be employed in carrying out said mold and packed therein. The surplus or process, and l. wish it to be understood that exhaust air escapes around the edges of the my invention is not restricted to the use of moldl` as the contact between the mold and any special apparatus, neither is it restricted 4o its support is not air-tight. "When desired, to the use of compressed air, as any other 105 special means may be provided for the escape equivalent gas suitable for the purpose may of the exhaust-air.

The eccentric-shaft 39 is driven from a drive-shaft 59, which is connected to the shaft 45 39 through gears 60 61, as shown in Fig. 3. The drive-shaft 59 may be driven from any suitable source of power and is preferably provided with fast and loose pulleys 62 63,

respectively.

5o 64 indicates a hopper through which sand is supplied to the compression-chambers 17 1S, said hopper having an extension 65, eX- tending down from the top plate 10 to the disk 16, as shown in Fig. 2.

55 66 indicates an endless carrier for supplying sand to the hopper 64.

ln operation the mass of sand is supported in the compression chambers 17 18 upon their respective plates 19, which may be pro- 6o vided with any suitable number of perforations. rl`he molds are carried on the turntable 54, one being provided for each compression-chamb er, and as both the turn-table 54 and the disk 16 are connected to the same 65 shaft they rotate in unison. The shaft may force of compressed air for carrying particles 1 1o of sand into and distributing them throughout the mold, and therefore my invention is a pioneer one, and the claims hereinafter made are to be construed accordingly.

That which l claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-d 1. The method of molding which consists in applying compressed air directly to a mass of sand supported in communication with an empty mold placed so' that the exizo pansive force of the air carries small particles or grains from said mass and distributes and acks the same into and throughout the mold,

substantially as described. in supporting the sand in mass in a suitable receptacle, making a substantially air-tight connection between the interior of said receptacle and an empty mold, and then admitting 2. The method of molding which consists compressed air directly to the mass of sand 13o zof in said receptacle to distribute and pack the sand into and throughout the mold by its expansive force, substantially as described.

8. The method of molding Which consists in supporting the sand in. mass in a suitable receptacle having a said mass of sand, air-tight connection said receptacle and an empty mold, then admitting compressed air directly to of sand in said receptacle g and packing the sand into and throughout the said mold by the expansive force of the air, substantially as described.

4. The method of molding y which consists in supplying compressed aii' directly to a mass of san supported adjacent to and in communication With the mold and directing the grains of sand ing the same into substantially as described.

6. The method mold, foin ing a substantially air-tight connection between the interior of the sand-receptacle and the mold, the latter being arranged to permit he escape of air after its passage therethrough, and then causing compressed air to pass through the sand-receptacle, and carry particles of sand with it through the connection and the mold, substantially as described.

7. The method of molding which consists and above the mold, forming a substantially air-tight connection compressed air remaining in said rece and then removing the described.

ptacle, mold, substantially as 10. The method of molding which consists in placing a mold in i suitable receptacle containing sand in mass, then establishing pneumatic pressure in said and throughout the mass of sand, and then reducing the pressure in said receptacle and removing the mold.

1]. The method of molding which consists in placing a mold in communication throug ting ofi' the air-pressure.

12. The method of molding Which consists in placing a mold in communication with a suitable receptacle containing sand in mass, and then causing compressed air to penetrate particles of sand from that portion of the mass lying next to the mold, into and throughout the mold.

13. The method expansive force of compressed air.

14. The method of molding,

in supporting the sand in mass in a suitable ALFRED M. HEWLETT.

Witnesses CHARLEs F. CULLUN,

AMBLE.

Jon N. G 

